1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical airways and, more specifically but not exclusively, to a device for performing cricothyrotomies and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the invention. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is prior art or what is not prior art.
Cricothyrotomy involves the creation of a surgical incision in the space between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages for the placement of a breathing tube. It is done in situations of massive facial injury, and other instances of inability to oxygenate and ventilate through the mouth. The standard approach involves a vertical skin incision, blunt dissection down to the cricothyroid membrane, and then a horizontal incision through the membrane itself. To stabilize the trachea while inserting a breathing tube, many operators use a tracheal hook. This is a sharp pointed hook, which is used to lift the inferior aspect of the thyroid during tube insertion.
The mechanics of handling the scalpel, making both vertical and horizontal incisions, and then placing the hook in the right position can be challenging. The horizontal incision often needs to be made in two directions to create a wide enough hole. Since standard scalpels cut in only one direction, the instrument must be rotated 180 degrees to be able to cut in both directions. Furthermore, over-insertion of the scalpel blade tip can injure the trachea, and excessive lateral movement of the scalpel can injure the great vessels of the neck. Because of the technical challenges of the procedure, and the extreme clinical situations in which it is often required, there is a high rate of failure. In the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, one third of surgical airways were unsuccessful.